Commandeering Commodore

Chapter 15

"Ah dear William, did you get the bonny lass all settled in nice and proper?" Jack asked as Will came back aboard.

"Yes Jack," Will answered a bit downcast, "I hate leaving her here all alone."

"Now William," Jack said with a friendly wave of his hands towards Will as he swayed back and forth on his heels, "I'm thinkin it's the Governor and his staff you should be worried about, they don't realize what they are in for dealin with the likes of her.

"I just hate not being with her. I hope she'll be all right." Will answered still a bit sad.

"No need to fret over that William, the bonny lass has shown in the past she is perfectly capable of taking care of herself." Jack said with a flutter of hands.

"I hope you're right Jack." Will said dejectedly as he walked off towards the cabin he so recently shared with Elizabeth.

"I see Mr. Turner has made it back." James said as he approached Jack.

"Aye, for the most part, although I'd be judgin he left a good part of his heart back there with the lass." Jack answered.

"I can hardly see how we could fault him for that Captain." James replied pensively.

"Well Commodore," Jack said cheerily, "Shall we be off on our dubious, deceitful and in fact most duplicitous mission? In Her Royal Old Self's name of course. What say you? Off to Tortuga?"

"Yes Captain, off to Tortuga." James replied.

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As they headed for Tortuga Will slowly came out of his funk from Elizabeth's absence. He and James again took up the fencing practice, much to the crew's delight.

James was sitting in the galley one morning sipping tea when Jack came in.

"Ah, was hopin I'd find you here mate." Jack said happily, "We need to talk."

"And what would the subject of such a talk entail Captain?" James said as he eyed Jack.

"Well Commodore, we'll be makin port in the next two or three days, and I'm thinkin we need to be doin something about you." Jack answered swaying about as he returned James' gaze.

"Do something about me?" James said with a raise of eyebrows.

"Well, thank the powers you've done away with the stuffy uniform and all that frippery, and that bloody wig, but I'm thinkin there's more to be done as it were."

"Such as?"

"Well mate, the truth of it is ya just don't look very…..piratey." Jack answered with a grimace at James.

"Don't you mean privateerly Captain?"

"Aye that too. I'm thinkin you be needin a bit of shiny about your person."

James straightened up stiffly in his chair as he glared and pointed a finger at Jack, and in a warning voice said, "You are not putting any of those…….things in my hair Sparrow!"

Jack put on his best shocked look and replied, "Not exactly what I had in mind Commodore. Sides I would not be inclined to share any of 'em anyway. No I had something different in mind Commodore."

"And that would be?" James replied a bit leery.

"Well, most pirates…….er privateers have some sort of bodily adornments…….such as tattoos and the like………"

James interrupted virulently, "You will in no way, shape, or form place any type of tattoo upon my person Sparrow!"

"I thought ya might be havin that reaction." Jack said dejectedly.

"Indeed!" James spat out.

"I'm only thinkin of you Commodore, if you don't look the part and you look too navy you'll be compromisin the mission and more 'an likely your own personal personage as well." Jack said.

"No tattoo Sparrow, it is out of the question. I do have to return to my post when this is over and I am sure my superiors, or any future Mrs. Norrington that there might be would frown upon a tattoo. I might, and I stress might consider something less permanent, if you were to come up with something."

Jack gave James a glittering smile and swaying back and forth waving his arms about said, "I knew you'd come around Commodore. I have just the thing! Mr. Gibbs!" Jack called out towards the door, and Mr. Gibbs entered a bit hesitantly with a tray in his hands and a apologetic look towards James.

"What is this?" James said warily eyeing the tray Mr. Gibbs was carrying.

"An earring Commodore, we're gonna put a nice pira…….privateerly lookin gold hoop right there in your ear." Jack said still smiling as he waved his hand towards James earlobe.

"No you are not!" James sputtered.

"Now Commodore, I believe it meets all your requirements. Once the mission is over ya pop said shiny out and none's the wiser. Savvy?" Jack said merrily.

"I will still have a hole in my ear Captain." James said dryly.

"Aye Commodore, for a while ya will, but ya never have anybody close enough to ya fer a wee hole to be noticed anyway now do ya. And in time it will be like it almost never happened." Jack said dismissingly.

"I am not sure about this Captain."

"Not even for the glory of Dear Old England and the bloody English Navy Commodore, seems a small price to pay for the rewards that will no doubt be heaped upon ya for your success, other wise ya may wind up dangling from some lamppost in Tortuga till they get tired of lookin at ya and decide ta cut ya down."

James thought for a few minutes, took a deep breath, and said, "Very well Sparrow, let's get on with it."

Jack waved grandly at Mr. Gibbs and said, "You heard the Commodore, let's get on with it."

Mr. Gibbs approached and sat the tray down on the table in front of James, "Might sting a bit Commodore." He said apologetically.

James tensed himself and as Mr. Gibbs shoved the needle through his earlobe he flinched, and semi-muttered "Bloody Hell!"

"Be done in a shake Commodore." Mr. Gibbs said as he withdrew the needle and fastened the gold hoop in place. "There ya be Commodore, a fine look for ye if I do say so myself." and held up a mirror for James to look for himself.

"I think it's a bit…large." James said as he gazed in the mirror.

"Makes it all the more Pira………er Privateerly I'm thinkin Commodore, with a bandanna and such you'll definitely look the part mate. Now all we have to do is get you to be a little, or a lot as it were, less stick up the arse in your deportment and demeanor." Jack said.

"Indeed!" James replied, still looking in the mirror at the gaudy earring hanging from his ear.

To Be Continued

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